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Vitamins and Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often caused by a physical
condition, such as diabetes, sleep disorders, or heart disease. You might think
that health-boosting vitamins could help. Although healthier men tend to have
healthier erections, there is little evidence to suggest that vitamin
supplements can treat ED.

The lack of strong scientific proof that vitamin
supplementation can improve erectile function doesn’t stop companies from
selling vitamins, herbal supplements, and other products with the promise that
they will do the job. ED is often treatable with prescription medications or
medical procedures, so be careful not to get taken by a manufacturer’s empty
promises.

With that said, getting enough vitamins, either in your diet
or with the help of supplements, is a healthy goal. Improving your overall
health is one step toward better sexual function.

Vitamin Deficiency and ED

It hasn’t been clinically proven that taking vitamins can
effectively treat ED, but there are some connections between vitamins and
sexual health.

A study in the Journal of
Sexual Medicine found that a large percentage of men with ED are also low
in vitamin D. If you’re experiencing ED, you may want to have your vitamin D
checked. Other symptoms of low vitamin D may be too subtle to notice. But if
you have serious vitamin D deficiency, you may experience bone pain or muscle
weakness. Vitamin D levels can be checked with a simple blood test.

Vitamin C helps improve blood flow. Blood flow affects your
erectile function, so vitamin C may help sexual function. Vitamin C is water-soluble
and is excreted with urine, so it cannot be stored in the body. You need to
make vitamin C food sources part of your regular diet. Good sources include:

citrus fruits

berries

melons

pineapple

papaya

tomatoes

spinach

broccoli

Getting sufficient amounts of all vitamins, minerals, and
other nutrients in your diet is important for your general health. If you’re
deficient in one area, such as having low vitamin D, then taking vitamin
supplements may be a good idea.

Talk with your doctor first about taking vitamins and other
supplements. If you take certain medications, you may need to be careful of
taking large doses of vitamins. Too much of anything, even something healthy
like a vitamin, can cause health problems.

Home Remedies

You may be able to improve your sexual health by treating
the underlying condition that is causing your ED. These may include:

obesity

alcoholism

smoking

sleep disorders

Smoking damages blood vessels throughout the body. Since
healthy blood flow to the penis is necessary for an erection, you want to do
whatever you can to keep your blood vessels working optimally.

Regular exercise may be one of the best things you can do to
treat ED. Not only does it help improve circulation, it can help you lose
excess pounds and reduce stress.

Stress is actually a common factor that leads to ED. Worries
about money, work, or other concerns can inhibit sexual performance. Your
sexual response begins with signals from the brain, but stress and anxiety get
in the way of your brain signaling the rest of your body that it’s time for
sexual intercourse.

Problems in a relationship can often lead to sexual
dysfunction. Consider couples therapy as a way to work through such issues and
reconnect emotionally. Physical intimacy may improve if you and your partner
can deal with other aspects of your relationship.

Speak with Your Doctor

If ED continues to be a problem, talk with your primary care
physician or make an appointment with a urologist. ED is an uncomfortable
subject for many men to discuss. But it’s treatable in most cases, so there’s
no reason to avoid getting help. Urologists and doctors see patients every day
about ED, so you’re simply one of millions of men dealing with this common
condition.

It’s also important to tell your doctor about ED because it
can be a symptom of other problems, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
If you haven’t had a complete physical and blood work that checks your
cholesterol, blood sugar, and other markers of health, make those appointments
soon.